We’ve seen our country go through many eras — from the 16th century to now the 21st century — where equality has been disconfigured, tangled, given to the American people in political arms.
Every ethnicity labeled — our incomes staged to suppress those who are lower class and disadvantaged. The truth is that there is only one race, the human race, and when as people — Black, White, Latino, Asian and so on — we begin to embrace this stance of one race, discrimination can be a thing of the past. I struggle with the nation as we are protesting, taking a stance against discrimination.
As a Black trans woman, I stand at a crossroad concerned that my race is targeted, but on top of that I am fighting toward equality for the LGBTQ+ community. As my Black communities across the nation are taking a stance against systematic oppression, we must remember that we have to put our guns down and uplift all our brothers and sisters. We cannot fight for change in the nation and go back to our communities killing each other and carrying on with business as usual.
The same applies to my LGBTQ+ community. Fighting for equality yet tearing each other down is a form of self-discrimination. I encourage my fellow communities — Black and the LGBTQ+ — to band together and continue to support each other like never before.
Our country is at a turning point. We are seeing our Black communities fight to change the names of schools and military bases that are named after confederate leaders. The fight is based on the suggestion that whites are using these names paying homage to an era that suppressed Black people. This is not a part of our heritage and the names of the bases and school should encourage and uplift the communities it serves. Leaving the names of the bases and schools with the same names of individuals who encouraged slavery and racism does not show promise for the future and justifiably should be changed.
My LGBTQ+ community has hit a historic milestone as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the 1964 Civil Rights Act does protect our most vulnerable population from employees discriminating based on sex. It goes without saying that this is something that should have been stated in the original act in 1964. Although this is victorious, it is only a start for other situations that the LGBTQ+ community goes through daily. Now that this decision has given us a seat at the national table it is now time to fight for change in other arenas.
Just a little under a year ago, we marched because Black trans women were, and are, being killed. As most feared for their lives trying to make sense of all of this, one thing stuck out for me. Black trans women were dead and no one was upset. As we banded together to make our voices heard, we held the first National Trans March. In this movement we see today, there so many in our Black community who have taken notice of that injustice.
We must keep up this momentum for our nation’s fight is far from over. As this administration keeps reminding us that their vision is not the same as ours. To our youth out there, this is the time for your voices to be heard. Know why you march, know what you stand for and, most importantly, speak up for your life. March to the polls when that time comes to speak up. Be a part of the decision making for your future.
Remember Martin Luther King, Jr. saying “I have a dream” and “We shall overcome.”
Remember George Floyd saying “I can’t breathe.”
Words like “hands up,” “stop don’t shoot” and so on will forever ring in our ears.
As we start to move forward we must know how we see our nation. Will we keep overlooking hidden racism? Will we keep letting our past control our future? For someone like myself, with the work I am able to do going out in the community and seeing the Black communities still struggling to make it. It is time for us all to be given that chance to live completely free and not be afraid. To walk in the light of justice. “No justice, no peace” should not be our last words as we end our day. But I, like so many, will not stop saying it until we see change. We will not stop speaking the names of those who are not able to speak up for themselves. We are their voice and we will keep this up until true humanity is restored.
No Justice, No Peace!
Angela Hunt is a support group facilitator at Hope & Help and a Central Florida activist for the Black and transgender communities.
Hear from more Black, LGBTQ voices throughout Central Florida and Tampa Bay in Watermark’s full Black Lives Matter feature.
